Home ›› 27 Feb 2022 ›› Opinion
Imagine a situation when students with First Division in Higher Secondary School Certificate examination could get admission in any subjects of their choice in the universities. Indeed, that was the situation during the late 1960s where students from science groups with First Division in both SSC and HSC could get admission without any hassle in BUET or in any universities in any subjects of choice or even switched to humanities such as Economics. There were only a few First Divisions in those days from the humanities and students could get admission in any subjects such as Economics, International Relations, or Public Administration. Admission to the University of Dhaka or BUET or any other universities was without any further entry examinations and many students even with Second Division could get admission in reputable universities and colleges elsewhere in Bangladesh. Students with a two-year bachelor’s degree could get admission in the Masters of Arts and Science degree in universities and in a few designated colleges where they could complete their Master's degree.
At the time of independence, there were six universities in Bangladesh with roughly 25,000 students. These universities offered bachelor with honours degrees with three years of study. The total enrolment in tertiary education was about 100,000. Empirical studies of the employment of graduates manifest job availability; and “do not suggest that the problem of graduate employment is as severe in Bangladesh as in India or some other countries.”
A study directed by M. Obaidullah, A Study of Employment Survey of Graduates, University of Dacca, 1971 corroborated the findings. About 25 per cent of students with two years pass degrees could not get suitable jobs but students graduating with honours in science and engineering did not face problems in getting commensurate jobs.
There have been a lot of changes during this half a century traversal in the educational panorama. Admission in tertiary education is now through disaggregated competitive entry tests but the entry at the primary level is lottery-based. On the other hand, admission in the primary level, mainly in Class III, in the district level government public schools and well known private schools was very competitive and was based on the results of admission tests and admission in the tertiary education was simply on the basis of performance in the Secondary School Certificate and Higher Secondary Certificate Examinations. From my personal recollection, about 400 students sat for admission in the Class III and Class V in Barisal Zilla School in 1958, out of which only 60 students were selected for Class III and Class IV. The academic institutions instilled both the hard and soft skills in young minds in those days. The students were blessed with excellent textbooks on various subjects. Coaching centres or private teaching for public school teachers was forbidden and students in remote areas of the country could learn basic English, Bangla, and Mathematics with reputable teachers.
The current scenario on admission in universities entails a lot of hassles on many fronts. The exponential grade inflation after a few years of independence imposed a binding on admission tests. Lots of students with Grade Point Average [GPA] above 4 compete for a few seats in their field of choice and in the preferred academic institutions. Thousands of students with golden five roam like a shuttlecock across the country with their helpless parents for admission in their field of choice; from university to university and from college to college. Many potential hard-working students often see the light at the end of the tunnel but with a constricted choice in the field of higher education. Students yearning for public administration and statistics at the end of the day may get Pali or Geology on the basis of performance in the admission test and previous grade in the SSC and HSC examinations. It is now a delicate choice for students to pursue higher education in Pali with no market value or geology may not be the preferred subject of the students. Indeed, the unfortunate students either have to wait for the next year or end up in a private university often with inadequate academic infrastructure in pursuing higher education. The cost is often forbidding for poor meritorious students if not supported by generous academic scholarships. The pertinent question is the value of the golden five hidden in this dubious achievement that they are not in a position to trade for their benefit or even seeking admission in their field of choice.
The number of golden five exceeded 27,362 in 2021 from the previous record of 161, 807. The number was 37,969, 29,262, and 47,286 respectively during 2017, 2018, and 2019 respectively. This historical data transpires unusual growth in academic attainment that cannot be backed by any rational judgment. A total of over 95 per cent of students passed this year’s HSC and equivalent examinations across the country. The exams were held on group-wise elective subjects with a shortened syllabus that began on December 2, 2021, and ended December 30, 2021. The exams were delayed by eight months owing to the Covid-19 pandemic; an unusual situation for the world as a whole. However, the enthusiasm with the percentage of pass and the number of golden five flickered within just two weeks of the published results as students with golden five apprehend that the probability of a seat in their preferred field of choice is less than the probability of winning a bonanza in, say hitting the jackpot in a lottery. The talk shows conducted on television channels and the feature articles in daily Bangla and English newspapers could not provide any clue on this higher education extravaganza. The ultimate burden, however, lies with the student community who have to bear the burden of this pride all through their academic and professional career.
Due to pandemic situations, the exams were held only on group-wise elective subjects with a shortened syllabus and universities may be asked to conduct admission tests with a shortened syllabus. However, the quality of intake may not be optimum with this strategy. Unfortunately, mediocrity dominates in assessment in the public examinations; both in question settings and in evaluations. Teachers often copy the question from the guide books and the evaluation of scripts is not done in a meticulous way. At least 35 per cent of the question should be on reflective nature and not be repetitive; that would be the sole criteria in assigning superior grades.
The writer is the Treasurer and a Professor at the School of Business and Economics, United International University. He can be contacted at obaidur@ eco.uiu.ac.bd.
